20th Century Italian Walnut Writing Desk, Table by Paolo Buffa
View Similar Items
20th Century Italian Walnut Writing Desk, Table by Paolo Buffa
About the Item
- Creator:Paolo Buffa (Designer)
- Dimensions:Height: 32 in (81.28 cm)Width: 52 in (132.08 cm)Depth: 25 in (63.5 cm)
- Style:Mid-Century Modern (Of the Period)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:circa 1940-1960
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:West Palm Beach, FL
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU1622216126041
Paolo Buffa
With a surname that loosely translates to a synonym for “bizarre” in Italian, Milanese designer and architect Paolo Buffa is best known for capturing the best of both old and new in his plush, enveloping lounge chairs and wingback chairs as well as his range of modern tables, each dazzling and provocative but built using classical techniques.
Purposely playful and airy, mid-century Italian interiors encouraged merriment and socializing. Buffa’s work was well suited to this, but unlike the postwar designers who established recognizable trademarks and signatures, his vintage furniture for Cassina and other firms — the sculptural side tables and case pieces of walnut and solid oak, the luxurious sheepskin sofas — differed considerably from one design to the next, making them appealing to a range of interior decorators and socialites with specific taste. The son of a highly sought-after artist, Giovanni Buffa, Paolo graduated in 1927 from Politecnico di Milano. He then spent time working under architects and designers Gio Ponti and Emilio Lancia. Ponti, who himself crafted thousands of furnishings and endlessly creative rooms, was so taken with the young designer that in 1928 he featured his simple and elegant rosewood dressing table in his new magazine, Domus.
After opening a firm with his regular collaborator Antonio Cassi Ramelli, Buffa became one of the leading tastemakers of Italian mid-century modern furnishings, designing for villas and residential buildings across the country. His style was a mix of Art Deco, Rationalism, neoclassicism and a bit of whimsy. He used high-quality materials and regularly worked with local ateliers known for their fine craftsmanship to produce his designs, such as Serafino Arrighi and Marelli & Colico. In 1940, he partnered with the Mario Quarti furniture studio on the royal palace of Albania’s King Zog, with Buffa designing the furniture, and in 1951, Egypt’s King Farouk enlisted him to redecorate his yacht.
While Buffa’s transcendent pieces are now collector’s items, there are a few still in production, such as those he made with Angelo Marelli. His eponymous firm, the Italian furniture producer Eredi Marelli, still manufactures some designs based on Buffa’s archives.
Find a collection of vintage Paolo Buffa furniture today on 1stDibs.
- 20th Century Italian Rosewood Writing Desk by Osvaldo Borsani & Paolo BuffaBy Osvaldo Borsani, Paolo BuffaLocated in West Palm Beach, FLA dark-brown, vintage Mid-Century Modern Italian half-round writing desk with a clear glass top, made of hand crafted polished Rosewood, designed ...Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
MaterialsBrass
- 20th Century Italian Rosewood Dining Table by Paolo Buffa & Serafino ArrighiBy Serafino Arrighi, Paolo BuffaLocated in West Palm Beach, FLA vintage Mid-Century modern Italian dining room table made of hand crafted polished Rosewood, designed by Paolo Buffa and Serafino Arrighi in good condition. The rectangular conference table is composed with its original smoked black glass...Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
MaterialsBrass, Metal
- 20th Century Italian Walnut Writing Table, Desk Set with a Chair by Gio PontiBy Gio PontiLocated in West Palm Beach, FLA vintage Mid-Century modern Italian freestanding writing table, desk set with two drawers and a stripped chair made of hand crafted Walnut, in good condition. The large table is com...Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Office Chairs and Desk Chairs
MaterialsMetal, Brass
- 20th Century Italian Vintage Walnut Writing Desk & Armchair by Amleto SartoriBy Amleto SartoriLocated in West Palm Beach, FLA vintage Mid-Century modern Italian office set of a writing desk and an armchair made of hand crafted polished Walnut, designed by Amleto Sartori in good condition. The floating rec...Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
MaterialsMetal, Brass
- 20th Century Italian Mahogany Writing Table - Vintage Desk by Vittorio DassiBy Vittorio DassiLocated in West Palm Beach, FLA freestanding, half rounded vintage Mid-Century modern Italian writing table made of hand crafted shellac polished, party veneered Mahogany and Rosewood, designed by Vittorio Dassi ...Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
MaterialsBrass
- 20th Century Italian Rosewood MIM Writing Table - Vintage Desk by Ico ParisiBy MIM Roma, Ico ParisiLocated in West Palm Beach, FLA vintage Mid-Century Modern Italian writing, office table with a large top, made of hand crafted polished Rosewood, designed by Ico Parisi and produced by MIM Roma, in good conditio...Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
MaterialsMetal, Aluminum
- Italian Midcentury Writing Desk Attributed to Paolo BuffaBy Paolo BuffaLocated in Rome, ITThis stunning and impressive Italian executive desk with finished brass sabots and seven drawers.Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
MaterialsWood
$6,150 Sale Price20% Off - Paolo Buffa Vintage Petite Writing Desk/ Console TableBy Paolo BuffaLocated in East Hampton, NYThis very sweet writing desk with black glass plateau and two tone walnut and wood frame. Two small drawers. THIS ITEM IS LOCATED AND WILL SHIP FROM OUR EAST HAMPTON, NY SHOWROOM.Category
Vintage 1940s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
MaterialsGlass, Walnut
- 20th Century Paolo Buffa Desk and Chair in Wood for Lietti, 50sBy Paolo Buffa, Paolo Lietti & FigliLocated in Turin, TurinPaolo Buffa (Milan 1903-1970), architect and designer, worked in the field of furniture design. Trained in the studio of Ponti and Lancia, from where he borrowed elements of neoclass...Category
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
MaterialsCrystal, Brass
- Italian Mid-Century Double-Sided Desk by Paolo Buffa, 1950sBy Paolo BuffaLocated in Traversetolo, ITStunning Italian double-sided desk of the 1950s, attributable to the design of Paolo Buffa. It’s equipped with eight drawers per side, all lockable, and it’s in very good condition o...Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Desks and Writing Tables
MaterialsWood
- Italian Mid Century Dining Table by Paolo Buffa for DassiBy Paolo BuffaLocated in London, GBAn Italian designed dining table / or could work as a great desk ebonized wood with glass top sculptural legs leading to brass shoes by to Paolo Buffa for DassiCategory
Vintage 1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Dining Room Tables
MaterialsBrass
- 20th Century Rosewood Italian Writing DeskLocated in Cantù, ITAn excellent piece of designed made in Italy. In excellent condition commensurate with age.Category
20th Century Italian Furniture
MaterialsWood
$2,636 / set